Combination pipe bending apparatus and auxiliary pivoted tube bender



N. v. KUEHLMAN ET AL 2,754,880 7 COMBINATION PIPE BENDING APPARATUS AND AUXILIARY PIVOTED TUBE BENDER July 17, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 19, 1954 5 M m m m Eawmeo 7'. 7144.

/Vaemmv V KUEHL MAM Filed Oct. 19, 1954 y 7, 1956 N. v. KUEHLMAN. ET AL 2,754,880

COMBINATION PIPE BENDING APPARATUS AND AUXILIARY PIVOTED TUBE BENDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 llllv I a, MEJBQLL L ame-1.

f 6 INVENTORS kMkMyMJ Patented July 17, 1956 COMBINATION PIPE BENDING APPARATUS AND AUXILIARY PWOTED TUBEBENDER Norman V. Kuehlman and Edward T. Tal, Milwaukee, Wis., assignors to Tal Bender, Inc.,l\dilwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application October 19, 1954, Serial No.- 463,247

6 Claims. (Cl. 153-40) The invention relates to a combination pipe bending apparatus and tube bender.

While the features of construction inherent in the carrying out of this invention may be applicable to many forms of pipe or tube benders, the general nature of the invention is the provision of readily interchangeable or accessory units for the frame of a bender so that a single power unit such as'a hydraulic ram assembly may be usable in conjunction with a single relatively heavy frame toaccomplish either a heavy pipe or bar bending operation or a tube bending operation, thus reducing the necessary equipment to be carried'by the workman tomeet the differing problems of bending which maybe presented from time to time in his work.

More particularly stated the invention includes .the provision of attachments or accessories for the frame of a bendersuchas that shown in U. S. Letters Patent to .M'1l61l6l',NO. 2,497,622, issued February 14, 1950,'whereby the heavy tube bender with the same hydraulic power unit used for heavy pipebending may be adapted to the special requirements in the bending of tubing.

In the drawings:

'Fig. 1 is a perspective of a bender equipped with the,

accessories to carry out a tube bending operation, a tube being shown in a bent position in the-apparatus.

Fig.2 denominated Prior Art is. a plan view-of a Mueller type heavy pipe bender showing a bent pipe in position; a part of the hydraulic unit beingbroken away.

Fig. 3 is a plan view partially in horizontal section and showing the relationship of the tube bending parts, a tube being inbent position between the former and former bar.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig.3.

Fig. 6 is a perspective of one of the hydraulic accessory mounting plates.

In the prior art as shown in Fig. 2 it has'heretofore been k own that a heavy pipe bendermay include a hydraulic power unit 10 having a cylinder 11 and-a hydraulic ram 12 which may be hydraulically thrust to the left as shown in this figure. Upon the extendedend of the ram 12 may be mounted a former 13which isi peripherally grooved along its arcuate edge to bear. against a heavy walled .pipe 14. The hydraulic power unit is "mountedto a heavy collar 15 into which the'reduced diameter of the end of the cylinder is peripherally grooved at"16 so that a U-shaped member made of round, wirelike stock and receivable through cross bores inthe collar 15 may lock the cylinder to the collar as-will be readily apparent from an examination of some of the other views in the drawings. The collar is apart of or is securely attached as by welding to spaced frame plates such as the plate 17 shown in Fig. 2, and the spaced plates have'between them'the former 13 mounted on the end of ram 12. Also mounted between the frame plates and'mounted respectively upon mounting pins 19 and'zll are bell crank members zl and 22 'provided with spools 23 and 24 for The apparatus 0 the instant invention Generally speaking, the spaced frame plates Y17 and 18 and the .heavy collar 15 comprising the larger. elements of the prior art pipe bender provide the fundamental mounting frame upon which the apparatus of the instant invention is applied so that the hydraulic power unit 10 may be assembled to the frame in a new location where it can apply the force of its ram-to eifectively bend tubing. As shown in Fig. 1, the power unit 10 is displaced from the collar 15 and is mounted to the frame between accessory plates or separate cars 30 and31. vThese accessory plates as shown most clearly in Figs. 5 and 6 are generally triangular in shape and have a short stud 32 extending from one corner. A bore at 33 in another corner and a stout offset bracket 34 complete the most important specifications of these plates.

Stud 32 is receivable through a hole. 35 in one of the frame plates whereupon the accessory plate may be swung about the stud as a pivotv sufficiently so that the'niarginal portion of frame plate 17 or 18 may be received between the accessory plate. and 'the bracket. The throat between the offset bracket and the accessory plate is. sufiiciently deep and sufliciently closely fitted sothat when plate 17-0r'18 is received in the throat, the stud is locked in bore 35 and the accessory plate becomes a'rigid ear outstanding from the frame plate with which it is assembled.

Whereas in the prior art assembly the hydraulic power unit 10 was received in heavycollarlS, it is now receivable between theaccessory plates 3t) and 31 and an accessory collar'36 is used for this purpose. The shape of this accessory collar is best seen in Figs. 1'and'5. It provides trunnions at 37- and 38 receivablerespectively in holes 33 of accessoryplates 30 and-31 and whenso received between these accessory plates 1 before the margins of plates-17 and 18 have been received in the brackets'34'it is possible to swing the brackets intoposition embracing the edges of the pl'ates'17 and 18 and thus complete an assembly which holds the accessory collar 36 snugly in'position'as shown in the drawings.

It will now be clear that the reduced diameter of the end of the cylinder 11 is receivablein the accessory collar "36 just as it was receivable in the heavy collar 15 in the prior art device-and'a U-shaped member'40 locks the cylinder into theaccessory collar in a manner similarto that described above with respect to the 'prior art 1 apparatus.

It is obvious from thedrawings that whereas the power unit-was received rigidly into the collar'lS and mounted rigidly with respect to plates '17 and -18 of the frame of'the prior art apparatus, the new mounting of the hydraulic power unit with respect to the frame plates isa swinging mounting for reasons which will be described. below.

Inplace of the bell crank members 21 and 22, special bores are provided inthe plates 17 and 18 to removably receive former pin 41 andformer bar roller pin'42.

'These pins provide mounting means upon which are receivable, between'plates 17 and 18, a tubing former 43 and a former bar roller 44. 'The tubing former 43 is shaped as a sector having a web 45, the'periphery of which'provides a pulley-like groove into which tubing 46 may be disposed for a tubebending operation. To hold 'the' tube intothe groove of the former 43,- a

U-shaped' screw clamp 47 is shaped to -embracehhe tube. It also embraces block 48 forming part of the web 45 of former 43; and a bored and threaded clamp block 49 welded in position between the arms of the U-shaped clamp 47 receives a threaded screw 50 which may be used to bear against block 48 and pull the tube into the groove of the former as will be clearly seen in Figs. 1 and 3.

The ram 12 of the power unit has connections shaped to embrace and engage the web 45 of the former 43 as shown in Fig. 3. For this purpose a ram pin 55 extends through a ram adapter 56 on the end of the ram 12 and extends through the web 45 to provide the pivotable connection between the ram and the former 43 which is needed during the adjustment which must take place when the ram is thrust outwardly of the cylinder and the former 43 is oscillated about its pin 41.

To hold the tubing 46 into the groove of the former 43 a grooved bar former 57 is slidably receivable between the tubing and roller 44 so that in the progressive arcuate movement of the former 43 which draws the tubing 46 through the throat between the former 43 and the roller 44 the tubing may not escape from the former 43 and the shape of the groove in the bar former 57 permits of controlled bending in the manner well known in this art.

As is also well known in this art, the hydraulic unit is operated by a pump of which the handle 60 is motivating part and there is a relief valve member (not shown) which may be used to relieve the hydraulic pressure when a tube bending operation is complete, thus removing the extreme pressures and enabling the operator to remove pin 42 or pin 41, or both so as to take the bent tube from the apparatus upon completion of the bending operation.

Operation Assuming a workman is equipped, with the prior art heavy walled pipe bender shown in Fig. 2 and assuming that he is equipped with the devices described above with reference to the instant invention, such a user of this equipment would pull the pins 19 and 20 so as to remove bell cranks 21 and 22 and their respective spools from their positions between the frame plates 17 and 18. Then upon removal of the U-shaped member 49, the hydraulic power unit theretofore positioned in the heavy block 15 is bodily dis-assemblable from the block 15 in readiness for re-assembly in accord with this invention.

Accessory plates or separate ears and 31 are then placed in partially assembled relation upon the accessory collar 36 with the trunnions 37 and 38 inserted through holes 33 as shown in Fig. 5. While so loosely assembled upon the trunnions the two plates 30 and'31 are swingable into position so that the studs 32 are received through the bores in plates 1718. Accessory plates 30 and 31 are then swingably positionable into operative assembly with the frame plates 17 and 18 with the margins of plates 17 and 18 received between the accessory plates and their respective brackets 34. The U-shaped member 40 extended through the holes in the accessory collar therefor will extend through the groove 16 to lock the power unit into the collar 36. Former 43 is then positionable between plates 17 and 18 so that former pin 41 may be inserted as shown in the drawings to provide a pivot pin about which the former may oscillate. Former bar roller 44 is then insertable between 17 and 18 so that former bar roller pin 42 may be extended into and between the plates to provide a mounting for the roller.

With these parts in position, tube 46 may be inserted in the groove of the former 43 and the U-shaped clamp 47 may be used to secure one end of the sector to the tube as shown most clearly in Figure 1, it being understood, of course, that Fig. 1 shows a fairly advanced stage in the bending operation, whereas with the commencement of the operation, the former 43 is so positioned as to present the clamp 47 close to the roller 44.

Former bar 57 is then inserted between the roller 44 and the former 43 with the groove of the former bar partially embracing the tube.

As soon as the pin 55 has been inserted to connect the ram 12 and ram adapter 56 to the former 43, the apparatus is ready for a tube bending operation. The relief valve is, of course, closed and the handle 6! of the power unit 10 is operated to hydraulically thrust the ram 12 outwardly of the cylinder 11. The force of the ram exerted upon the former 43 eccentrically of the pin 41 causes the former 43 to swing to the left as seen in Figs. 1 and 3. As the oscillation progresses, the former bar confined between the tube and the roller 44 progresses to the left and maintains the confined relation of the tube between the sector of the former 43 and the groove of the former bar. The clamp 47 forces the tube to conform to the groove of the former 43 and the operation progresses until a bend of sufficient extent has been accomplished.

When the bending operation has been completed, the relief valve is opened to reduce the outward pressure upon the ram 12 and the clamp 47 may then be released by retraction of the manually operable screw 50.

The removal of pin 42 and the roller 44 permits the former bar 57 to drop away from the bent tube and the apparatus is wide open for release of the bent tube.

During all the period of hydraulic stress the trunnions have no tendency to move out of their position of engagement with the accessory plates 3031 and the brackets 34 snugly engaged with the plates 17 and 18 hold the studs 32 in engagement in their operating locations.

It will be clear from the above description that the disassembly of the accessory parts from the frame plates 17-18 is easily accomplished. The pulling of the pins 41 and 42 and the swingable retraction of the brackets 34 from their engagement with the plates 17l8 permits of ready dis-assembly and the power unit 10 may be removed from accessory collar 36 upon withdrawal of the U-shaped member 40.

One of the features of importance in this invention which will now be obvious to those who are accustomed to the use of pipe and tube benders is the fact that the accessory plates for the mounting of the power unit are removable from the heavy frame plates so as not to interfere in the compound bending of pipe when the power unit is assembled in its position in the heavy collar 15.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described having spaced frame plates having a primary mounting and a power unit attachable thereto, a pair of accessory plates each attachable to a frame plate in position to provide an outwardly extending secondary mounting for the power unit to be received between said accessory plates, a tube former and mounting pin therefor demountably pivotally positioned between the frame plates for oscillation in a tube bending operation, and a connection for the power unit and former for former motivation.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein each accessory plate is provided with a stud receivable in adjustable relation to the frame plate and a bracket shaped to receive a margin of the frame plate in the adjustment of the plate about the stud whereby to rigidly position the accessory plate in outstanding relation to the frame plate.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the accessory plate is provided with a stud receivable in adjustable relation to the frame plate and a bracket shaped to swingably receive a margin of the frame plate in the adjustment of the plate about the stud with reference to the frame, and said accessory plate is provided with means for releasabl pivotal attachment of the power unit thereto.

4. In a device of the character described having spaced frame plates and a heavy collar with a power unit releasably secured therein, a pair of accessory plates having means for respectively rcleasably pivotally attaching the accessory plates to the frame plates at points spaced from the heavy collar, brackets forming part of said accessory plates and shaped to hold the accessory plates in outstanding relation with respect to the frame plates, an accessory collar for releasable pivotal mounting of the power unit releasably engageable with the accessory plates, and a light tubing former sector attachable between the frame plates to the power unit.

5. In a pipe bender having apertured plates secured together in spaced relation to provide a frame, a former and pipe bending apparatus mounted for oscillation between said plates, a power unit having means for connection to said former and means for pivotal mounting of the power unit positioned outwardly of said frame, separate ears for attachment to each plate and provided with mounting means for connection to a pivotal mounting of said power unit, each of said ears having a stud outstanding therefrom for projection through an aperture in one of said frames and an outstanding bracket for each of said ears positioned to engage a margin of a frame plate upon oscillation of the ear about said stud.

6. The pipe bender of claim 5 wherein the pivotal mounting of the power unit and the point of connection of the power unit with the former is eccentric to the studs whereby upon operation of the power unit to rotate the ears in a direction to firmly clamp the edges of the plates in said brackets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,815,180 Bennett July 21, 1931 2,497,622 Mueller Feb. 14, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 294,412 Switzerland Nov. 15, 1953 700,814 Great Britain Dec. 9, 1953 

